


love knows no bounds

by drunkimnotiswear



Category: GOT7
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Stripper/Exotic Dancer, Angst, Complicated Relationships, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mark Tuan-centric, Prostitute Mark, Stripper Mark Tuan
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-11
Updated: 2020-05-19
Packaged: 2020-08-14 11:27:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,769
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20191513
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/drunkimnotiswear/pseuds/drunkimnotiswear
Summary: Mark never liked Jackson Wang, it would be fair to say he disliked him off the first meeting. They were just so different that Mark couldn't ever imagine getting along with him.Jackson Wang was a hurricane that swept people off their feet, and Mark was meant to merely just be another person left gasping but untouched. He didn't expect to be picked up and be placed in the eye of the hurricane, not when he was Mark - nothing else but a pretty face.Mark didn't need saving, he was only doing his best to survive - and he knows better than to think that Jackson can ever love someone as broken and used as he is.But maybe, maybe he thought wrong.(or that angsty Markson stripper AU no one asked for.)





	1. Nebulae

They met under rough circumstances. Mark wasn’t in the best of places, with his life falling apart right before his eyes, with him helpless to do anything.

With balancing school, work and a shitty family situation - his life was far from rainbows and sunshine. The first time Mark laid his eyes on Jackson, was when the younger slammed his backpack onto the table - startling Mark awake.

That was two strikes in Mark’s book. Most people asked before taking a seat and Mark abhorred being awakened from his sleep. 

With those two strikes in mind, it was to no surprise, that he hated Jackson when they first met.

The younger - a transfer student from Hong Kong who had given up fencing to pursue a business degree. In Mark’s eyes, Jackson had everything. He had a warm close-knitted family and never seemed to be tight on cash. That wasn’t all to him, with Jackson having a charismatic personality that drew people in like moths to a burning light.

There was almost nothing to dislike about him - he was outspoken, helpful, funny and just so damn caring. Jinyoung and Jaebum often made jokes about how Jackson was everything Mark was not - and Mark gradually saw the veiled truth in their statement. Jackson was everything Mark wasn’t, and when Mark realised that - he was even more hell-bent on hating the younger. Looking back at it, that was also when he had also come to realise that there was a fine line between love and hate. 

Mark was an astronomy major - a useless major in everyone’s eyes but his. His parents had left him free will to do as he wished, having larger problems to deal with - like the bitter spat in the division of finances with the signing of the divorce papers. Being an astronomy major, he had common classes with Jackson; who for a business major had absolutely no talent in dealing with numbers.

In the beginning, it was humorous to watch Jackson struggle with assignments, with the younger always slipping into mandarin when he got too frustrated at the problems. It didn’t help that Jackson wasn’t very fluent in Korean, often depending on Mark to explain the question to him in Mandarin. 

Mark never intended on speaking a word to Jackson but in a really low day he had made the mistake of laughing at a statement Jackson made in Mandarin about the lecturer looking like he just got an unsatisfying fuck. Revealing the fact that he understood Mandarin to Jackson. That opened multiple doors to conversations that Mark never wanted to have in the first place - but no one said no to Jackson Wang.

It didn’t help that Mark was never one for going against the majority and like everyone else he couldn’t say no to the force that went by the name of Jackson Wang.

From reluctant seatmates for their shared classes, Jackson gradually became a permanent fixture in Mark’s life.

The younger having invited himself to Mark’s lunch table - which consisted of Jinyoung and Jaebeom.

The only two people Mark could really call friends or trusted enough to let them know the reason behind the dark circles under his eyes and the plethora of lovebites that marked his collarbones and chest. It wouldn’t be accurate to call them lovebites, they were just a branding - a mark that he bore to signal that he’s apart of the dirty business that takes place in dingy alleyways.

He still remembers the utter shock on Jinyoung’s face when he peeked his head into Mark’s dorm room wondering why on earth Mark was taking so change for lunch. His regular clients were never usually so keen on leaving marks, but the ones who paid well often liked to leave Mark sore and marked up as if to stake their claim. He never understood why they did that because he doesn’t, wouldn’t belong to anyone. No one cared enough to want him for more than one night.

So imagine his surprise, when Jackson Wang - the golden boy had shyly invited him to attend the party at the club near the university to celebrate the end of finals. Mark could grudgingly admit that they were friends and it wasn’t uncommon for Jackson to ask Mark to join him for lunch but the way Jackson was fidgeting made Mark think this was more than just a regular night out. Mark was already having a rough day with Jooheon an ex-client relentlessly trying to recruit Mark into becoming a stripper and getting off the streets. He wondered if Jooheon just had a hero complex.

If he had known that Jooheon was one of the owners of the biggest strip clubs in the city, Mark would have never agreed to sleep with him, much less allowed him to sleep with him twice and get his number. Mark had been considering the offer but knowing that there was a chance that people from the university might spot him there was enough of an incentive for him to say no, yet Jooheon was offering enough money to cover his tuition and lodging fees for next year's first semester. 

Mark had blinked, looking around him as if expecting Jinyoung and Jaebum to be hiding around the corner. It had to be a joke. There was no way in hell Jackson wanted anything other than help with work and someone to gossip in mandarin with. Mark had nothing else to offer, he was quiet, shy and generally unnoticed except for his pretty face which even that he hid with the hood of his jackets. The silence stretched for longer than Mark expected, he glanced up from the tiles and was met with a nervous Jackson fidgeting with something behind his back.

Mark didn’t know why there was a sense of irritation that bubbled up in him as he watched Jackson fidget, looking at him with that pair of hopeful eyes. Perhaps it was the irritation that Jackson had the audacity to look nervous when clearly no one with a pair of working eyes would reject a date from him. Or maybe it was the anger that Jackson was like everyone else, treating him as a joke or better yet, was it simply a childish dare from a drunkard truth and dare session?

“Did Jinyoung and Jaebum put you up to this?” Mark said with gritted teeth as he clenched his fists refusing to look Jackson in the eye. In his heart, Mark knows that Jinyoung and Jaebum would never do something like this to him, despite their ridiculous notion that Jackson was infatuated with him. It wasn’t possible, no one wanted him. No one needed him, not even his parents gave enough of a shit to keep his university funds out of their squabbles. 

“Wh- No! Mark why would you think Jinyoungie - Mark look at me.” Jackson stumbled through his words before finally noticing that Mark was shaking, and when Mark finally looked at him - Jackson froze. He had never seen Mark this closed off, the elder had a flat expression, the usual traces of amusement or what Jackson likes to think as fondness all vacant from his gaze. Jackson took two steps towards Mark, gaze widening when the elder flinches and backs up against the wall. Jackson doesn’t know what’s going on in Mark’s head, as he watches the elder slump against the wall after tugging up his hood to cover his head. He just silently stands beside the elder leaning against the wall, both in each other’s spaces but not touching. 

“I...I’m sorry Jackson-ah. It’s been a rough day, Professor Kang refused to give me an extension and you know how hard it is to -” Mark said with a sigh, running a hand down his face as he resisted the urge to punch the wall beside him. There was a beat of silence before a hand wrapped around his wrist, coaxing him to unclench his fists. When his fingers finally did uncurl, a cool smooth object was placed in his palm. 

Mark blinked open his eyes to peer at Jackson curiously who had released his grip on Mark’s wrist and placed both hands behind his head as he grinned at Mark. That’s when Mark noticed the new necklace that Jackson was sporting, the Chinese character ‘Wang (王)’ hung on a silver chain, slung proudly on Jackson’s neck. He glanced at the metal chain in his open palm as he untangled the silver chain, revealing the Chinese character ‘Tuan (段)’, Mark smiled softly at the Chinese character tracing a finger across the cool metal.

Before Mark could even open his mouth to ask Jackson where he got it from and why was he given this. Jackson simply leaned over and took the necklace that dangled from Mark’s fingers before swiftly unclasping the clasp The younger was merely a few inches away from Mark’s face as he fumbled with the clasp of the necklace behind Mark, with Mark being able to count Jackson’s eyelashes as the younger frowned and tried to do the task blindly. 

“Gaga, I think it’ll be easier if I turned around wouldn’t it?” Mark said softly, laughing a little when Jackson realises the position they are in, with him boxing Mark against the wall - pressed chest to chest. The younger flails backwards, jumping away from Mark making noises that Mark found adorable but would never admit out loud. Mark simply grins at Jackson, turning around to give Jackson access to the back of his neck. 

“You know I never did thank you for that day,” Jackson said with a gentle, reminiscent tone as he fiddled with the chain with his breath tickling the back of Mark’s ear. 

“What for?” 

“For laughing at my obnoxious comment about Mr Kang. If you hadn’t, I don’t think I would have been brave enough to continue bothering you during lunch, in fear of you actually hating me.”

“He did look like he either finished in his pants or was left hard and frustrated. You weren’t wrong.”

Jackson lets out a loud chuckle and Mark couldn’t help but laugh along with the younger, he’d hadn't laughed this hard in a long while with Mark clutching at his stomach, wiping the tears in his eyes from laughing. In his fit of laughter, Mark misses the fond and slightly rueful look on Jackson’s face.

The younger takes a step back from Mark once the necklace is securely in place, grinning at the elder and holding his own up against Mark’s before exclaiming that they have matching necklaces and going on about how it’s their own unique version of a friendship bracelet. Before they leave campus, both heading back to their respective dorms Jackson tugs on the sleeve of Mark’s hoodie and offers the elder two thumbs up and saying, “I believe in you Yi-En, you got this.” Mark offers the younger the barest hint of a smile before waving him off and ducking into his dorm building.

When he enters his dorm he can’t help but touch the necklace, smiling softly to himself - finally allowing himself that little bit of happiness. It filled his heart with warmth, that they’ll always be that one person who’s thinking of him. It’ll be a lie if Mark didn’t feel proud that the necklaces that they both wore would only bear significant meaning to each other, and each other alone. Even in a crowd, Mark would be able to recognise that ‘王’ anywhere and Mark went to bed that night - ignoring the texts from clients asking if he were free somehow unable to keep the thought of Jackson and the smile off his face. 

Things get better after that, Mark manages to finish his research paper on time. He’d gotten positive feedback and was well on his way to finishing the term well, but life is like a rollercoaster - what goes up must eventually come back down. He gets called into the administrative office on the last day of the term and gets the dreaded news that he’d been praying he wouldn’t have to hear. There were inadequate funds left in the bank account his mother had set up for him to store his tuition fees for the next semester, and Mark couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He could’ve sworn his bank account had enough to barely cover the next semester, that’s why he could afford to reject Jooheon’s offer. With repeated rushed out apologies and assurance to get it sorted out before the next round of transactions, Mark ducked out of the administrative office - ignoring the clerk’s looks of pity. 

With shaky hands, he dialled his mother’s number - praying that she’ll tell him it was a mistake, that she hadn’t touched the money that was rightfully his. With every ring, Mark’s heartbeat increases in frequency and his breathing intensifies. She promised that she wouldn’t touch what she had already given him for his education. She fucking promised. 

“Ma, did you -”

“Not now Yi-En, I’m in a meeting with the lawyers right now to get what your bastard of a father owes me”

“No Ma, you listen to me carefully. You fucking promised to not touch the money in the account you set aside for my second last year in University. I already promised to figure the last year out on my own, but you fucking promised to let me finish the year.”

“Watch your language young man, I’m your mother you have no right to speak to me that way. If you want to talk about money, go talk to your asshole of a father. I’m busy.”

“You promised! You fucking promised I’ve never asked you for anything other than to let me finish the year.” Mark said, voice cracking with emotion as he threw open the bathroom door and hid in one of the stalls. He was going to be sick. Anger bubbled up in him as he repressed the scream that was threatening to spill from his lips, hot angry tears streamed down his cheeks. He’d never felt this hopeless and betrayed, as he hears the final cutting remarks from the woman he once considered his mother.

“All you men care about are your stupid promises, promises are nothing but empty words Yi - En. You’re no longer my responsibility. Whether or not you graduate with your stupid degree in Astronomy is none of my concern. You’re everything I hated about your father, selfish and too ridiculously impractical.”

Mark hears the dial tone, and when he does - he finally allows the tears to fall. He slams his fist against the side of the stall, barely even flinching at the pain that ricochets up his nerves because it pales in comparison to the pain of the splintering of his heart. The anger and desperation drain out of him, and he’s left empty and wrung-out. He wonders why he even bothered calling her when everyone around him had already left him for dead long ago or had other worries to worry about than silly old Mark Tuan. It was stupid to think that maybe a few years ago, his biggest fear were his parents hating him for being gay. With everything that's been happening, he hadn't had the time to even tell his parents about his sexual preferences. He doubts that they'll even care. 

When Mark can finally find the strength, he leaves the bathroom stall and stands in front of the mirror, wondering why he even bothers. He could simply let himself fade from the world, joining the universe as one of the million stars that he likes to believe are made out of souls. He exhales, splashing water against his face as he takes in deep breaths - forcing his lungs to expand and contract. His gaze falls on the glittering silver chain, and mindlessly Mark grabs it and grounds himself with the feeling of cold metal against his warm flesh. He can do this, if not for himself - then for Jackson who believes in him.

He picks up his phone and calls the number he’d sworn to delete and block.

“Jooheon-ssi? This is Mark, I’ll do it.”


	2. Pulsar

Mark doesn’t know what he’s expecting when he meets Jooheon in his domain. The other is reclined on the velvety sofa, looking every bit like the owner of the city’s renowned strip club. Jooheon was sporting that predatory smirk that revealed his dimples. If Mark was being honest - it was that sheer juxtaposition of softness and razor-blade intensity that drew him to Jooheon like a moth to a burning flame.

Jooheon was one of Mark’s few repeat customers and there was something about the other that Mark gravitated towards. Mark had strict rules and despite what his parents would like to say. He respected himself to know his limits and knew what he wouldn’t do for money and in the times Jooheon enlisted him for his services - the other always danced on Mark’s boundary line. 

Pushing and prodding for a reaction, but somehow Mark was able to say no every time and maybe Jooheon did see him as more than a spineless pretty face, desperate to do anything for money.

Maybe that’s what landed him here, seated in one of the booths far enough away from the stage for Mark to settle his rattled nerves. There wasn’t any protocol to this, he felt as if he was thrown into the deep end of a pool right after barely having learned how to swim. He couldn’t help but fidget, mindlessly tracing the black velvet with his fingertips while his pounding heartbeat attempts to drown out the dull thrums of the music. Mark wonders if he’s going to give himself a heart attack, and in a feeble attempt to prevent himself from picking a hole in Jooheon’s velvet couch - he drags his gaze towards their surroundings. They're seated in one of the booths, with dim lights casting shadows that hide the paleness of Mark’s already pale complexion. 

Mark has never stepped a foot into Jooheon’s establishment even though he’s very well heard of it. Be it through the whispers of invitations to the Black Diamond from his peers or the bitter notes of jealousy whenever someone on the streets mentions that they’ll never be treated the way they are in the Black Diamond. Mark usually only hears that from Lisa who was booted out of Black Diamond for not taking her tests for STDs seriously. 

Mark knows that Jooheon runs a tight ship, he’s strict about his own business guidelines and he knows that Jooheon runs as ‘clean’ of a business as he can. No one gets roofied in his club, without a black mark and a ban in all of the higher-tiered clubs in the city. His drinks are clean and with the exception of the occasional drunk scruffles and conflicts with assholes who don’t understand the word no-there isn’t a smear on Black Diamond’s reputation. Mark knows, he did his research when he first found out that Jooheon wasn’t a regular rich man in a business suit who just wanted Mark to drop to his knees to suck him off. The fact that the other didn’t bat an eyelid at his skimpy outfits, never questioned the rates he was charging, was so god-damn confident and even had a hotel room reserved for anything more than a blow job - gave it away. 

Lee Jooheon is not an ordinary man.

Jooheon treated Mark with more respect than a prostitute got in the streets and that glimmer of amusement and admiration when Mark drew fine boundary lines, was enough to garner Mark’s attention. It was in the sex-driven high that Mark has drowsily uttered out his number and at that moment, it was one of those rare times when he felt sated and not overcome with a need to scrub off the filth off his body. Admittedly, it was a foolish decision for him to have given Jooheon his number and real name, but right now - that mistake was now his life-line. Funny how life works.

Jooheon was sipping his drink, reclined comfortably in the plush cushions of the couch they were sitting on. It didn’t surprise Mark that Jooheon has wanted to have this conversation in the club, but he wasn’t prepared with how overwhelming it would be. The place was dripping with luxury, and Mark has to be exceptionally careful with handling his soda - the upholstery of the couch itself might cost hundreds which Mark would be unable to pay back if he spilt his drink. He takes a cautious sip of the drink, before placing the glass back on the sleek black coaster.

At that moment Jooheon clears his throat and Mark is startled enough to knock over his glass and spill apple soda all over his jeans. _Well fuck_. He glances up at Jooheon, expecting the older man to be angry or disgusted at how shaky and nervous he is but he doesn’t expect the amused expression - with the other letting out a laugh.

“I’m sorry did I scare you?” Jooheon asks as he passes Mark his handkerchief to somehow salvage his distressed jeans. Mark can only wince at the sticky feeling of wet denim sticking to his thighs - _well we’re off to a terrific start_. He shoots Jooheon an embarrassed smile, cheeks tinting pink and somehow the only thing Mark is thinking of is - who the hell carries around a handkerchief? 

“Do you mind if I go clean up? I wouldn’t want to be sitting here with sticky thighs.” Mark says softly before his brain catches up with that his mouth just said. _Really?_ Mark couldn’t help but wince at his statement, chancing a glance at Jooheon who is just full-on laughing now. Well, Mark would take laughter other than a judgemental glare any day. He hands back Jooheon's handkerchief with pink-tinted cheeks and Jooeheon simply takes a look at him and has the odd reaction of laughing even harder he waves Mark off and Mark takes it as a cue to go find the bathroom in this place.

There were so many ways he could’ve phrased that sentence, but he chose to go with that. The sleep deprivation from trying to finish his readings before the lecture for astrophysics must really be causing his filters to go offline. Mark finds his way to the bathroom by keeping his head down and asking the polite bartender who simply offers him the brightest sunshine smile and directs him to the bathroom.

He slips into the bathroom exhaling sharply as he grabs paper towels and tries to dab at the wet spots on his jeans. He’s thankful that he didn’t spill soda on his crotch to make it look like he pissed himself in anxiety while talking to Jooheon about a professional opportunity.

Mark has to keep reminding himself that this is a professional opportunity, there’s a contract that he has looked over and everything. It’s legitimate employment in the informal sector, there’s nothing he should be embarrassed about. 

He was pretty sure he was getting health insurance as an ‘adult entertainer’. He can't imagine clocking in hours, and actually receiving a paycheck. That's ludicrous. 

He takes in a deep breath and splashes water on his face while bracing his arms on the sink. He has to get himself together. If he’s this unnerved from being in the club how the hell is he going to stomach standing on stage and performing a striptease in boxer briefs. He’s definitely been seen in less in lewder situations, be it lying on a bed with streaks of come all over him - panting like a dog and there was once he was marked up in bite marks and blindfolded.

Still, there’s a sense of vulnerability in dancing on stage for the pleasure of so many. Gazes could roam freely, with patrons having paid their dues at the door. Mark knows that Black Diamond’s strippers were handpicked and are treasured and there are rules to protect them. Yet the idea that people were willing to pay to simply watch him move his body and eye-fuck him - was still hard to wrap his head around.

He would be paid so much more than how much he could make in a month on the streets. He wouldn’t even have to spend hours scrubbing off the ghost of stranger’s fingerprints on the floor of the hot steaming shower in his room. Stripping still felt dirty but it was still much less intrusive than having strangers touch his body and mark him up like he was theirs to use and to discard. 

Though there was the nagging possibility of someone seeing him and recognising him, and Mark couldn’t be bothered if someone did recognise him but he couldn’t imagine if it got back to his father.

His father who had been swindled out of his company assets and left unable to support his mother’s ostentatious lifestyle and Mark always knew his parents had only gotten married because of him. His mother had repeatedly told him multiple times growing up that he was nothing more than a mistake, a blemish on her youth that could never be erased because his father was too stubborn to let her give him up for money.  
  
Mark hated wealth and the effect it had on people. His father had spent his life toiling away for a company that punished his loyalty and sense of justice while his mother treated money as the panacea to happiness. With the abrupt removal of wealth and financial security, they were both playing tug of war and fighting to the death over what is left. It was sickening.

Still, Mark loves his father and with the man’s weak heart - it would really be the nail on the coffin to find out that his only son had been selling his body for money and allow himself to be on display like an object to be bought for green pieces of paper.

Despite how absent his father was from his life, he was the one that always made sure that Mark was provided for. It was because of him that Mark could do what he wanted to do, despite his disapproval for Mark’s pursuit of an astronomy and astrophysics degree - he still funded it anyways. His father had always been a stubborn man, and maybe Mark inherited some of that stubbornness as well - he was unwilling to go back and beg for help from his father, and once he made that decision to turn to prostitution on the streets; there was no turning back. 

Mark made sure his night-life and his life as a university student was distinctly separated, he hasn’t told Jinyoung or Jaebeom about the offer of working at Black Diamond. He avoided the streets for a week when he’d spotted Jinyoung awkwardly asking for him, but using the wrong name. He’d be a fool to use ‘Mark’ on the streets. To be honest, he was slightly offended that Jinyoung thought that he could be that careless with his identity and have completely no sense of self-preservation. 

Using his real name on the streets would be akin to walking around with a neon sign on his back at university advertising his services. Not to mention that news about a twink with mixed blood by the name of Mark would eventually garner attention, with people getting curious enough to start searching for him.

He remembers an incident where Jinyoung got so worried for him when the other found his room flooded with water from the over-flowing shower in the wee hours of the morning that he broke the lock to the bedroom by busting the doorknob.

That incident led to both Jinyoung and Jaebeom prowling the streets for a week, trying to look out for his safety and it caused Mark switching spots with Lisa and inspired a heated conversation with his only two friends about them minding their own business. He’d never told them what his name on the streets was, he’d gone by the name -

“Yi-En?” 

Mark’s blood ran cold. Adrenaline floods his system and he has to resist his flight or fight responses. It wasn’t the mention of his name that unnerved him, it’s that gentle, familiar timbre that has an undertone of pleasant surprise that rattles him. Mark’s saliva thickens and he swallows heavily, he glances up at the mirror and makes startling eye-contact with a confused Jackson Wang.

Mark doesn’t say a word and calmly turns off the faucet after pretending to wash his hands before reaching over for a paper towel to dry his hands. He's not about to get caught and outed before he'd even had his first day of work, he's just going to have to pretend that his heart isn't attempting to break through his rib-cage.

There's no way Jackson would suspect anything, he's in his casual outfit - not the skimpy fishnet stockings, booty shots and mesh shirt. His brain needs to _shut the fuck up. _

He waits for Jackson to say something, anything - as he busies himself with patting his hands dry. He waits for the accusation that Mark lied about being busy tonight that he couldn’t go for a drink with him.

Yet, that doesn’t happen.

“Hey! I knew it was you, I could recognise that back of yours anywhere.”

Mark raises a brow at that statement but the edges of his lip involuntarily rise up in amusement as he waits for Jackson to backtrack and stumble over his words like he usually does in Mark’s presence. It’s to no surprise that it happens as the realisation of what he just said dawns on him.

“That sounded so creepy, okay. Let me be clear, I do not stare at you on a daily basis. It’s just that you have - have this specific build. You know what I mean?”

Mark simply raises both brows at his statement and waits for Jackson to realise that as usual, he’s just messing with him. It’s strange that they managed to get to this stage where they’re capable of banter when in the beginning Mark couldn’t stand his presence. It takes a few beats for Jackson to get his indignance and defensiveness out of his system and he’s just sheepishly smiling at Mark now.

“Do you want to grab a drink with me and my buds?” Jackson asks with that hopeful expression and glimmer in his gaze that Mark had trouble saying no to on a daily basis. The other bounces on the balls of his feet and Mark can’t help but look Jackson up and down, following the other’s movements.

Jackson was decked out in skin-tight leather pants that flaunted his muscular thighs that Mark is sure that it’s a by-product of fencing. It’s paired neatly with a white shirt and a leather jacket, with his hair tousled in a way that gives off that natural sex-appeal. Mark wouldn’t be surprised if Jackson ended up going home with someone tonight, he is pretty sure that there are people in the club who have their eyes set on seducing Jackson into their beds.

“I can’t. I’m here with someone.” Mark replies, tucking his hands into the back pockets of his jeans as he straightens. He watches as an indecipherable look flickers across Jackson’s face. If Mark didn’t know any better, he would have said that Jackson looked somewhat disappointed. Whatever that expression was, it came and went and Mark could even be convinced that it was merely a trick of the light that Jackson’s smile seems somewhat tighter.

“No worries. Next time then?”

Mark gives the other a noncommital shrug before pulling out his phone and frowning at the message that lights up his screen. It’s a text from Jooheon that simply says ‘u ok?’. It’s then that Mark realises how long he’s spent in the bathroom, it’s a worrying amount of time. He gives Jackson a cursory glance before replying to Jooheon and telling him that’ll he be right out.

“I’ve got to go Jackson, have fun tonight. Don’t drink too much okay? I’ll see you for the math module tomorrow, I’ll save you a seat.” Mark says, offering Jackson a soft smile that he hopes is convincing enough to get the other to let his presence at the club go. The last thing he needed was Jackson interrogating him on who he was with, and if he knew them. God knows that the other could be persistent if he wanted to be.

Mark tucks his hands back into his pockets and makes his way towards the bathroom exit and as he makes his way past Jackson; who had been standing at the entrance the other reaches out and grabs his arm. Mark glances at the other’s grip before looking up and making eye contact with Jackson who was looking at him with that fond look.

“Be careful okay? I’ll see you tomorrow Yi-En.”

Mark offers Jackson a smile and gently pats the other’s hand while trying to not let that fluttery feeling in his stomach show on his face. There’s something oddly intimate and warm when Jackson calls him Yi-En, the other gets the intonations just right and Mark just feels an inexplicable sensation of warmth in his chest.

Hearing his name from Jackson’s lips is like a breath of fresh air and despite the mental connections he’s made with his mandarin name - when Jackson says it all Mark can think about is how goddamn fond he sounds.

He slides back into the booth and Jooheon mutters ‘_about time_’ before pulling out a small case. The other unlocks the box and slides it across to Mark, with a bright smile being directed towards him. Mark raises a brow at Jooheon, who gestures him to open it and Mark does as instructed.

He can’t help but gasp at the contents of the box, carefully he traces the intricate shiny stars and patterns on the mask. He looks up at Jooheon, with the other smiling even wider at him and Mark can’t help but smile back in return. In his hands is a custom mask that is traditionally given to every Black Diamond employee and it’s then that Mark knows that - this is real. 

“Welcome to the family Mark.”

It’s then that the flickering embers of hope of a better and happier future are reignited in Mark. With hope being the wilting flower rescued by a rare sudden torrential blessing of rainfall. This could be the beginning of something new and Mark was willing to take that plunge into the unknown.

**Author's Note:**

> links you can use to scream at me:  
[twitter](https://twitter.com/pettypeachie)  
[curious cat](https://curiouscat.me/pettypeachie)


End file.
